1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fungicidal composition for agricultural use, which comprises Chloranthus henryi extract or a sesquiterpene compound separated from Chloranthus henryi extract as an active ingredient, and, in particular, it relates to an eco-friendly fungicidal composition supported by the findings that Chloranthus henryi extract or a sesquiterpene compound obtained therefrom exhibit potent antifungal activities against phytopathogenic fungi.
2. Description of the Background
Researches on the development of fungicides for agricultural use against phytopathogenic fungi have been focused on chemically-synthesized fungicides for the past decades. Tripathi, et al., Postharvest Biol. Tec., 32, 235-245, 2004; Dixit, S. N., et al., J. Stored. Prod. Res., 31, 165-172, 1995. However, synthetic fungicides are limited in use because of their potent hazard to ecosystem, including humans and animals, despite superior fungicidal efficacy. Ragsdale, N. N., et al., Annu. Rev. Phytopathol., 32, 545-557, 1994; Wilson, C. L., et al., Annu. Rev. Phytopathol, 27, 425-441, 1989. Further, repeated use of excess commercial fungicides has been shown to cause an increase in resistance of phytopathogenic fungi, thus requiring the development of stable and eco-friendly fungicides. Reimann, S., et al., Arch. Phytopathol. Plant Prot., 33, 329-349, 2000. In particular, considering that plants have less side effects than chemically synthesized fungicides, a need has existed to develop eco-friendly biological fungicides prepared by using unprotected natural plant extracts and plant-derived materials.
To meet these needs, the present inventors investigated plant-derived compounds with inhibitory activity against phytopathogenic fungi in order to develop fungicides for agricultural use from natural resources. Thereby, it was found that Chloranthus henryi extract has an inhibitory activity against various human pathogenic and phytopathogenic fungi. Chloranthus henryi is a perennial herb growing naturally in China, which falls in Chloranthaceae Li C J, et al., Yao Xue Xue Bao, 40, 525-528, 2005. The biological activity about this plant has not been reported.
Thus, the present inventors investigated the antifungal activity of Chloranthus henryi extract and compounds obtained therefrom on laboratory scale, and further explored the usefulness against various phytopathogenic fungi causing rice blast(Magnaporthe grisea), rice sheath blight(Corticium sasaki), tomato gray mold(Botrytis cinerea), tomato late blight(Phytophthora infestans), wheat leaf rust(Puccinia recondita) and barley powdery mildew(Blumeria graminis f sp. hordei) by using plants grown in the greenhouse. The present invention has been completed by the findings that Chloranthus henryi extract and compounds obtained therefrom have potent antifungal activities against phytopathogenic fungi.
Therefore, the present invention provides a fungicidal composition for agricultural use, which contains Chloranthus henryi extract and a sesquiterpene compound obtained therefrom having antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi.